While the world awaits the distribution of newly developed vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have again come together through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to the many pandemic-related problems. During the third pitch showcase, held Dec. 11, groups proposed ideas to centralize STEM knowledge, streamline health documentation, and prevent the spread of the virus.

“[The COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action] combines the imagination and talents of engineering students and early-career engineers with insights from mid-career professionals and seasoned veterans who are NAE members,” said David Butler, J. Herbert Hallman Scholar of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Call for Engineering Action was launched to facilitate crowdsourcing and brainstorming of ideas that could help protect public health and the economy during the pandemic. The initiative has attracted individuals ranging from university-level students to experienced engineers and other experts. As with the first and second showcases, held on June 26 and Aug. 6, respectively, this third showcase consisted of five teams pitching their concepts to an Expert Review Committee of NAE members who provided feedback and advice on how best to advance the ideas that were presented.

Software to Combat Misinformation, a Unique Reusable Respirator, and Other Innovations

The centralization of expertise during a public health crisis can delay responses and end up costing lives. A Seattle-based team of professional engineers have created the Innovation Bank, a new application that uses game theory and blockchain technology to connect those in industry and the scientific and engineering communities. The goal is to help cut down the structural constraints currently delaying responses to the pandemic.

“Not unlike contact tracing, the connections that people make may then tell us where the problems are and where the solutions need to be,” said Daniel Robles, team lead and founder of Community Engineering Services PLLC.

Misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, especially unsubstantiated claims about how the virus is spread and what medications can be used to treat or prevent the disease, is rampant and can have a real effect on how the public perceives the state of the pandemic. An international team based in India has created software that help to validate news and display true and relevant information. This application will be able to assess the legitimacy of claims and minimize the damage caused by pandemic-related misinformation.

The use of facemasks effectively reduces the risk of transmission of COVID-19 through aerosolized droplets, but a team of fluid engineers from the University of Central Florida aims to create an edible food bar that can thicken saliva and reduce droplet formation. When used with a traditional facemask, it would create a “supermask.” The team believes that students and staff at higher education campuses would be the ideal first customers for such a solution.

As the operating capacity of hospitals continues to be challenged around the country and world, reliable and easily accessible health documentation can provide lifesaving benefits. Inspired by the subpar documentation abilities in many refugee camps, a team from the University of Southern California developed a cloud-based system that can allow health care workers to better care for the most vulnerable groups of patients.

“If clinicians can’t access reliable records, they’ll misdiagnose problems or misprescribe treatments,” said team member Jordan Palmer.

A problem since the beginning of the pandemic have been short supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), in particular the N-95 respirators needed by health care workers. A team from the University of Texas, Arlington, has developed a respirator that uses LED ultraviolet light to safely disinfect. This respirator can run on batteries and is also rechargeable, reducing the massive cost of replenishing disposable PPE for health care facilities and businesses.

Looking Forward

These five teams, along with the 10 teams from the previous two showcases, can use the guidance they received from the Expert Review Committee to further their goals of bringing their COVID-19 solutions to the public.

If you have any questions about the NAE’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action, please email engcovid19@nae.edu.

• Watch the event recording here